Page 24 of Must Love Moss and Moonshine (Moonshine Hollow)

A young woman approached shyly, her cheeks glowing with excitement as she held up a delicate necklace. I remembered her from last season. The rose quartz amulet she had purchased last year sparkled in the sunlight.

“It worked,” she told me, glancing over her shoulder at a man standing a few paces away. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his hands shoved nervously into his pockets as he pretended to examine a nearby stall. “That’s him. That’s the man I met after I bought this from you.”

I smiled warmly. “I’m so glad.”

“We’re so happy. He told me to pick something new, his treat.”

I smiled, then pulled out a pair of matching earrings, their pink stones catching the light. “These will complement your amulet perfectly.”

“Oh, thank you!” she said, beaming as she handed over the coin. Her gaze flicked back to the man, who smiled and nodded, encouraging her. She gave him a loving smile and then turned back to me. “I think he’s going to propose soon.”

“I wish you all the happiness in the world,” I replied. “And remember, I make wedding bands too. I’ll be at Thistle and Thyme all winter! You can find me there.”

Smiling happily, she nodded, then hurried back to join her shy beau, her joy infectious.

A while later, an older woman arrived, her hands weathered but steady as she examined a protection arm ring in my display. “This one,” she said, her voice firm but kind. “It’s for my grandson. He’s heading off to apprentice with the blacksmiths in Ironmist Mountain.”

“A fine choice,” I said, wrapping the arm ring carefully in a soft cloth. “The spell will help ease his nerves and protect him from any harm. He’s lucky to have a grandmother who cares so deeply for him.”

She smiled, a glint of pride in her eyes. “He’s a good boy. Thank you, dear.”

After she left, I was approached by someone unexpected—a towering male orc with olive-green skin and tusks that gleamed faintly in the sunlight.

His presence was commanding, but a softness in his eyes made him less intimidating.

He held his hat in his large hands, wringing it nervously as he approached my table.

“Excuse me,” he rumbled, his voice low and resonant. “I, uh, heard you can make custom pieces.”

“That’s right,” I said, offering him a welcoming smile. “What are you looking for?”

“A ring,” he said, glancing down at the table and then back up at me. “For my mate-to-be. I want it to be special. Something that shows her how much she means to me.”

“Of course. Tell me about her. What does she like?”

“She loves the autumn,” he said, his tusks shifting with a shy smile. “She’s always picking up leaves and tucking them into her braid. And she likes all things yellow.”

I nodded, already envisioning the piece. “How about a gold band with a citrine stone shaped like a leaf? I’ll weave the perfect spell into it…a blessing of love, joy, and happiness.”

His smile widened, and his shoulders relaxed. “That sounds perfect.”

Bromir and I got to work immediately. He stoked his forge and began shaping the band, the rhythmic clink of his hammer blending with the hum of the market.

As he worked, his hammer glowed as he weaved his own magic into the piece.

One of the reasons people love our work so well was because they were always a perfect fit—thanks to Bromir’s enchantments.

Meanwhile, I carefully selected the perfect citrine, its golden hues bright and warm, and began the intricate enchantment.

The spell required focus and intention, every word weaving a promise of a happy life and marriage.

The orc watched quietly. Using my magic, my fingers glimmering with violet-colored light, I cut the gem into the perfect shape and imbued it with the spell.

When I finished, I passed it to Bromir, who completed the work using his own magic.

In the end, we crafted a simple yet elegant gold band with a delicate autumn leaf.

Bromir had even added swirls like branches, acorns, and leaves onto the band.

It was perfect. The enchantment shimmered faintly within the stone, giving it an iridescent hue.

With Bromir at my side, I handed it to my customer.

“It’s beautiful,” the orc said, his voice thick with emotion. “Better than I could have ever imagined.”

“It’s made with love,” I said gently. “May it bring you both the happiness you deserve.”

He carefully tucked the ring into a small velvet pouch and pressed a generous payment into my hands. “Thank you,” he said, looking from me to Bromir, his sincerity radiating from every word. “She’s going to be so happy.”

“Wish you both the best, lad,” Bromir told him.

“It was a good piece,” I told Bromir as I watched the orc stalk away. “Maybe one of our best.”

“So it was.”

As I watched the orc walk off, my thoughts went to Kellen once more.

And not for the first time that day, I looked around, searching the crowd for the dryad.

For some odd reason, I felt him near, but I never saw him.

Considering his height, he could hardly hide in the crowd, but still, I didn’t see him.

“Looking for your dryad?” Bromir asked.

“I’d swear I feel him here, but…” I waved about. “It’s not as if he blends.”

“Indeed not,” Bromir agreed.

While I didn’t find Kellen, I did spot Juniper on a path toward us. Her long purple skirt, trimmed with beads, fluttered around her. She’d covered her head with a colorful handkerchief, but her long blond curls still bounced as she walked.

“Tansy, Bromir,” she called with a smile, approaching us with a basket of flowers.

“For you,” she said brightly, setting them on the corner of the table.

“I tried to get here earlier, but the shop is mad. My assistant is watching things so I could get away. These are spark zinnias. Their perfume zaps away any bad smells, leaving only the soft floral scent behind. I thought they might help,” she said, then eyed the goats.

“Oh, but they’re so cute!” she added, seeing the pen of playful goat kids beside us.

“Smell aside, they are adorable,” I agreed.

“Thank you so much, Juniper,” I said, admiring the flowers.

The fragrance of the ruby-red, deep purple, and golden blooms immediately created a pleasant buffer against the nearby animal pens.

“Juniper,” I said, my voice low, “by any chance, have you seen Kellen?”

“Not yet,” she replied. “Why?”

I shook my head. “No reason.”

“Don’t worry. He’ll come at sunset, as promised. He is a man of his word,” she told me, reaching for my hand.

I gave her a soft smile in thanks.

“I need to go back before Polly gets absolutely swamped,” she told Bromir and me. “Happy market days!” she called, and with a wave, Juniper departed.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of sales and smiles.

And no matter how often I felt Kellen nearby, I never spotted him.

By the end of the market late that afternoon, Bromir and I were exhausted, but we’d made excellent coin.

When the market closed, I packed up my cases with satisfaction and anticipation.

“Goats and all, not a bad haul,” Bromir said, counting the coins. “I’m completely sold out of my Perpetually Perfect Stew spoons.”

“And I’m nearly sold out of earrings. I can’t believe it.”

“Now, to spend it all on ale and sour cherry pies. Coming? The Polite Pirate? Wanderer’s Rest? Maybe Naughty Knickers?”

“You stay out of Naught Knickers. Remember what happened last time you were in there,” I said, giving him a playful scowl.

“She was almost worth a black eye.”

“ Almost . Kellen is going to visit Juniper’s shop tonight. I’m going to go there to try to meet him.”

“He didn’t come today,” Bromir said, the tone of brotherly worry in his voice.

“The first day of the market is so crowded. It would have been too much for him. He promised he’d come. He will.”

Bromir nodded stoically. “Well then, you best get on. I’ll make sure everything is locked up here and do the protection enchantments. And, I’ll drink an ale for you.”

“No Naughty Knickers.”

He laughed. “No Naughty Knickers.”

With that, I turned and made my way from the market, my stomach fluttering with butterflies at the thought of seeing Kellen again.

As I walked through the crowd, I passed a dressmaker’s tent.

She had racks of beautiful garments. A dark green silk and velvet gown trimmed with embroidered violets caught my attention.

I glanced down at my smudged apron and soot-streaked sleeves.

I rarely bothered with trivialities like new gowns, but tonight was different. Tonight was special. The thought of seeing Kellen again filled me with both excitement and uncertainty.

Tonight, I planned to tell him that I was going to stay in Moonshine Hollow…and how I really felt. I couldn’t hold back anymore.

I loved him.

And I would tell him in that dress.